PREPARATIONS FOR THE AFTERLIFE

A story as old as time, Cleopatra is returned to life, after her tragic departure.

2ND SEPTEMBER 31 BC, IONIAN SEA, EN ROUTE TO ALEXANDRIA  >>>>>>>

The midday sun beat down mercilessly on the turquoise waters of the Ambracian Gulf, its shimmering surface reflecting the chaos and carnage of the Battle of Actium. The air, thick with the stench of smoke and blood, reverberated with the clash of steel, the screams of dying men, and the splintering of wood as warships collided in a deadly ballet of destruction. Amidst this maelstrom of violence, Cleopatra, the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, stood on the deck of her flagship, the Antonias, her heart pounding in her chest, her eyes wide with fear and despair.

She had witnessed the horror unfold firsthand: Mark Antony's galley, surrounded by Octavian's forces, engulfed in flames, a funeral pyre for her lover and her dreams. The sight of the burning vessel, once a symbol of their shared power and ambition, now a smoldering wreck, sent a wave of nausea through her. Her mind reeled, struggling to comprehend the magnitude of the disaster. All was lost. Her kingdom, her love, her future – all consumed by the flames of defeat.

Panic surged through her veins, overriding any sense of reason or strategy. Survival, her own and that of her loyal followers, became the sole imperative.

"Turn the ship!" she commanded, her voice trembling but resolute. "We must flee this carnage!"

The Antonias, accompanied by a small contingent of Egyptian warships, broke away from the main battle line, their sails billowing as they turned south, seeking escape from the clutches of Octavian's victorious fleet. Cleopatra watched the receding battle, the cries of the dying fading into the distance, replaced by the rhythmic creak of the ship and the splash of waves against its hull. A strange mix of emotions churned within her: fear for her life, grief for Antony, and a gnawing sense of betrayal.

Had Antony perished in the flames? Or had he, like her, chosen flight over death? Uncertainty gnawed at her, a constant companion to her fear. She scanned the horizon, searching for any sign of his galley, a flicker of hope amidst the despair. But there was nothing. Only the endless expanse of the sea and the smoke rising from the distant battle, a grim reminder of her shattered dreams.

As the Antonias sailed further south, Cleopatra retreated to her cabin, seeking solace in the solitude. She collapsed on her bed, her body trembling, her mind replaying the horrors she had witnessed. The battle, the burning galley, Antony's desperate fight – images seared into her memory, a haunting reminder of her loss. 

Mark Antony was dead. The Battle of Actium a crushing defeat.

But amidst the despair, a spark of defiance ignited within her. She was Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, a descendant of a long line of pharaohs. She would not surrender to despair. She would survive. She would find a way to rebuild, to reclaim her power, to honor Antony's memory. The flight from Actium was not the end; it was merely the beginning of a new chapter, a chapter fraught with danger and uncertainty, but also with the possibility of redemption.

ALEXANDRIA

Now, she was returning to Alexandria, her once-beloved city, to face an uncertain future. The Roman fleet was surely on its way, hot on her heels and with it, the end of her reign. Yet, Cleopatra refused to surrender. She had faced down Julius Caesar, charmed Mark Antony, and she would not be cowed by Octavian.

As her battleship drew closer to the shore, Cleopatra’s mind raced. She knew she had to act quickly. The Romans were ruthless, and she could not afford to make a single mistake. She must use her wit, her beauty, and her seductive charm to sway her captors.

The galley, battered and weary, finally touched the Alexandrian shore. Cleopatra, her heart heavy with dread, stepped onto the familiar sands. The once-vibrant city, a testament to her power and beauty, now seemed a ghost town, a stark reflection of her fading fortunes.

Stepping onto the dock, Cleopatra felt a surge of adrenaline. She was home, yet it felt foreign. The once-vibrant city was subdued, a shadow of its former self. The news of their Queen's defeat had spread, and the people were fearful.

Her mind raced, calculating her next move. Octavian, the ruthless Roman leader, was closing in, his victory at Actium a harbinger of doom. She knew she couldn’t rely on military might; her forces were depleted, many had deserted, her allies scattered. She would need a different weapon, one she had wielded with deadly precision countless times: her allure and much admired biting grasp of the facts, so often eluding her foreign counterparts.

With a grim determination, she made her way to the royal palace. Its grandeur, once a source of pride, now felt hollow and oppressive. She ordered her servants to ready her for a fateful encounter. She would use her beauty, her wit, and her cunning to beguile the Roman conquerors.

Cleopatra moved through the streets, her presence commanding attention. She visited the royal palace, now a symbol of her fading power. The once-ornate rooms were dusty and neglected. She ordered her servants to clean and prepare the palace, making it ready to receive her Roman guests.

As she surveyed the damage, a plan began to form in her mind. She would use her beauty and intelligence to seduce Octavian, just as she had done with Caesar and Antony. She would beguile him, ensnare him, and turn him to her side.

She knew it was a long shot, but it was her only hope. If she could win over Octavian, she could secure a future for herself and Egypt.

As she bathed, she thought of Caesar and Antony, men who had fallen under her spell. Octavian, though younger and less experienced in love, was still a man. She would ensnare him, just as she had the others.

Dressed in a simple yet elegant gown, she emerged from her chambers. Her eyes, dark and mysterious, held a promise of untold pleasures. She would play the role of the helpless queen, the victim of cruel fate. She would let Octavian see the woman beneath the powerful ruler, the woman who longed for love and protection.

As the Roman soldiers arrived, she greeted them with a facade of submission. She would use their arrogance, their thirst for power, against them. She would turn their victory into her own triumph.

The stage was set. The play was about to begin. And Cleopatra, the eternal seductress, was ready for her final act.

BITTER FAREWELL

And then a fly in her ointment came on the scene to further alarm. Cleopatra had planned for every eventuality, every contingency in preparing to seduce Octavian. But she hadn’t planned for this. Cleopatra's heart pounded with a mix of relief and dread. Mark Antony, the man she loved, the man she had betrayed and deserted when it mattered most, had defied death, evaded capture and limped back to Alexandria to lick his wounds, mostly heartbroken at being abandoned in battle.

How then to deal with this, with Octavian so close. The political animal inside her sent news to Antonious, that she had poisoned herself, where he stubbornly refused to attend her bedchambers.

She had sent the false news of her death, a desperate ploy to lure him back.

She had sent a message, a cruel deception, to bait him to her.

She had expected angered reprisals, perhaps even resentment. But not this. Not the look of utter devastation in his eyes. The news of her supposed suicide had ignited a fire within him, a desperate love that blinded him to the truth. 

The former Roman General had stabbed himself a mortal wound, never to heal. She of course was skeptical, thinking on her own benchmark deceptions.

When he arrived, his anger and anguish were palpable. He begged to enter, knowing he was fading fast. Pounding on her door.

She, the master manipulator, was caught in her own web. She finally allowed entry to her mausoleum.

As he raged, blood spewing from his wound, she feigned weakness, her eyes filled with crocodile tears.

“You should not have left me to die,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The man in her arms, ravaged by grief and betrayal, was a mere shadow of the powerful leader she had once known. Now a bloody mess.

“No,” she replied, her voice trembling. “I should have believed.”

He managed a weak smile. Knowing she had destroyed him, and yet given him great joys in the process. Her lover was now dying in her arms. His life force was ebbing, his breath shallow. Cleopatra leaned down and kissed Mark Antony, a kiss that said everything to the receiver, without words.

“You always were too kind.”

With his dying breath, he whispered her name, "C L E O P A T R A," his voice filled with a love that transcended betrayal and pain, a smile creased his rugged features. In that moment, she realized the true cost of her ambition. She had sacrificed love for power, only to find that power was meaningless without love.

She held his hand, her fingers tracing the lines of his palm. “I’m so sorry, my love.” Genuine tears now streaming down her face.

His eyes slowly closed, his face became expressionless, his grip loosened.

And then, .......... 

He was gone.

A tsunami of grief washed over her.

She had lost the love of her life, the only man who had ever truly understood her. She had sacrificed him on the altar of power, and now she was paying the ultimate price.

Gone forever.

But she couldn’t afford to dwell on her sorrow. Time was the enemy now.

She had to think of the future, of Egypt, of her children. Octavian was approaching, and she had to ready for the performance of her life. Quickly, no time to dwell.

Now, she faced a new challenge: negotiating with Octavian. She would use her grief as a weapon, exploiting his pity and remorse. She would bargain for the right to bury Antony with the dignity he deserved, buying herself precious time to plan her next move.

As she prepared to face the Roman conqueror, she knew that the game was far from over. The final act of this tragic drama was yet to be played.

She sent a message to the Roman general, requesting a meeting. She would use her beauty, her intelligence, and her desperation to negotiate a favorable deal. She would at least ensure that Mark Antony received a proper burial, and that her children would be safe.

As she prepared for the meeting, she couldn’t shake the feeling of emptiness. The world had lost its color, its joy. All that remained was a bleak, uncertain future.

AN UNDERSTANDING

Cleopatra, once the epitome of beauty and power, now stood before Octavian, a mere shadow of her former self. Her attempts to seduce him, to rekindle the passion of old, had fallen flat. The man who had once been captivated by her charms now saw her as a relic, a prize to be displayed and controlled. A political pawn. And that she understood from the looks of pity that the Roman commander could not hide.

The realization was a bitter pill to swallow. She had underestimated the passage of time, the toll it had taken on her body and her allure. She was no longer the young, untamed queen who could ensnare any man. Now, she was a pawn in a game she could no longer control.

Cleopatra was though a survivor. She would not allow herself to be humiliated, to be paraded as a trophy. She would dictate her own fate, even if it meant accepting a diminished role. She would play the part of the submissive lover, the devoted companion, the prize of his victory over Egypt. But beneath the facade, she would plot her revenge, a slow, insidious poison that would consume Octavian from within.

Though, with no thoughts of love or lust, he only offered her humiliation. He proposed to parade her through the streets of Rome, a captive queen, a trophy of his victory. The thought of such public degradation was unbearable, but she knew she had no choice. Her power was waning, her options dwindling.

To salvage what little dignity remained, she offered a diverse manner of treaty. She would become his loyal slave and do his bidding, a silent partner in his rise to power. In return, she asked for one final request: to be buried beside Mark Antony, to spend eternity with the man she had loved.

Octavian, intrigued by her proposal, agreed. He saw in her a potential political asset, a symbol of his triumph over Egypt. But he was also wary of her cunning. He knew she was capable of great deception, and he would not underestimate her.

She would ensure that her legacy would not be one of total defeat and humiliation, but of enduring power. She would secure her place in history, not as a conquered queen, but as a woman who defied the odds, who dared to dream and to scheme. A casualty of circumstance. A martyr.

As she prepared for her final act, she thought of Mark Antony, the man who had loved her truly. She mourned his loss, the loss of a love that had been both a blessing and a curse, now blood on her hands. But she also knew that his death had freed her, had given her a chance to rewrite her story.

She would face Octavian with a mixture of defiance and resignation. She would accept his terms, but only on her own conditions. She would demand the right to a dignified death, a burial worthy of a queen. And she would make sure that Octavian would pay the ultimate price for his arrogance and cruelty, with a return after his natural term on life.

As the days turned into weeks, Cleopatra prepared for her final act. She feigned submission, playing the role of the heartbroken lover. But beneath the facade, her mind was racing, plotting her escape. She knew that her life, and her legacy, depended on it.

THE FIG BASKET

Cleopatra, though a prisoner, was far from defeated. She had secured a promise from Octavian: a dignified burial in Egypt, alongside her beloved Mark Antony. Yet, she knew that the Roman’s mercy was a fragile thing. He suspected her intentions, the flicker of defiance in her eyes, the secret plans whispered to her loyal handmaidens, Charmian and Iras. About which she begged of them silence.

In the quiet solitude of her chambers, she conferred with her trusted companions. A daring plan was hatched, a final act of defiance against fate. A plan as old as Egypt itself, a silent, venomous kiss. Asps, the sacred serpents of the Nile, would be smuggled into her chamber, their deadly bite a swift and painless release.

But even as she rejoiced in this small triumph, a shadow of doubt crept into her mind. Octavian, ever the cautious ruler, suspected her intentions. He knew she was capable of anything, even self-harm. To thwart her plans, he had doubled her guards, restricting her movements.

She saw herself, a divine being, sailing down the Nile, towards the gates of the underworld. Anubis, the jackal-headed god, would weigh her heart against the feather of truth. If her heart was found to be light, she would be allowed to enter the realm of the blessed.

But her preparations extended beyond the mortal realm. She summoned her priests, men versed in the ancient mysteries of the afterlife. She instructed them to embalm her body with the finest resins and oils, to preserve her for eternity. She wanted to be ready for the journey to the underworld, to face the judgment of Anubis, the god of death. She trusted them to do her bidding. And they wished only to see their Queen once more at the helm of a free Egypt.

As the fateful day approached, a sense of peace settled over her. She was ready. She had lived a life of passion, of power, and of profound loss. She had loved fiercely, lost tragically, and fought with unwavering determination.

Now, as the shadows lengthened, she awaited her final act. The asps, symbols of rebirth and renewal, would be her passage to the next world. She would join Mark Antony, her eternal love, in the afterlife. And there, in the realm of the gods, she would find the peace that had eluded her in life.

POISON ASP  >>>>>>

THE BATTLE OF ACTIUM - Queen Cleopatra retreats leaving Mark Antony to lose against Octavian and seek a new deal with Rome.

THE POISON ASP - Hotfoot from Actium, Cleopatra's plan to seduce Octavian backfired leading to a suicide pact with Anubis and Isis

TANZANIA - THE STORM BREAKS - Fanatical DNA collector, John Storm, finds Homo erectus skull, Olduvia Gorge, in Tanzanian dig site.

WRATH OF THE GODS - 365BC destruction of Thonis and Alexandria, Anubis and Isis watch on in horror as Cleopatra is submerged.

WWII ENIGMA - The birth of computers at Bletchley Park under Alan Turing, and his visits from Anubis and Isis, who see the potential in his ideas.

SYDNEY WILL READING - John's uncle Douglas vanished, declared dead, the adventurer inherits keys and a note from George Franks.

ANGEL OF DEATH - Anubis and Isis occupy Josef Mengele's and Adolf Hitler's subconscious as spirits steering their legacies.

INNER CIRCLE OF SIX - Joseph Mengele's Fourth Reich plans an escape to Brazil to develop Nazi-funded human research laboratories.

NELSON BAY - John visits the coordinates George gave him, to discover the Elizabeth Swann, ARK and Hal, AI computer.

BRAZIL BOUND - Doctor Death bargains for funding and logistics of relocation to Amazon South American base via Argentina.

NEW WORLD ORDER - A former Neo-Nazi plan to regenerate Aryan supremacy, develops into a cause for good.

REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE - Having reached the end of his PhD, William and Jane Bates have epiphanies, Will should follow his dream.

ROADBLOCK - Nobody would fund his R&D, William and Jane Bates are blanked by DARPA, computer and software houses.

THE AFTERLIFE - Cleopatra's tomb lay lost for centuries submerged and out of sight with little change of discovery.

QUANTUM LEAP - Jane and Will find backers, then US military and computer processor chip makers cyber attack, hack and bug them.

WASHING MACHINE - Inventor Franco Francisco comes up with the Incubus, artificial uterus concept while repairing his household appliance.

EXIT STRATEGY - Realising they will always be a target from industrial and military espionage, Jane & Will devise a cunning plan.

PATENT APPLICATION - Franco Francisco files his Claims with the Italian Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in Roma, Italia.

CYBERCORE GENETICA - Nano computer technology is purchased at an auction by a semi religious sect, New World Order.

INCUBUS - Roberta Ferrara secures the expertise of Franco Francisco for knights of the New World Order: Neuwelt Rittertum.

SPLICE - Klaus and Eva von Kolreuter find a way to live forever using cloning technology; Genonimo Investments, Geneva.

TREMORS - Cleopatra's feels vibrations after a shift in the tectonic plates triggered a tremor off the coast of Alexandria.

PANAMANIAN RUNNING MAN - The secret is out, an enhanced human is spotted running at unbelievable speeds.

THE ARK - NeuWelt Rittertum headhunt John Storm seeking access to his genetic DNA map of life on earth, but they fail to reach agreement.

MARJORIE BOYLE - Sam Hollis tracks down sexy backpacker, Majorie Boyle, to Brighton Point in Trinidad, beautiful Caribbean Island.

THE AMAZON - Charley agrees to meet John & Dan at Manaus, but is a little too inquisitive.

OPERATION LEVIATHAN - New World Knights, Klaus and Franco go to Plan 'B' to track and steal the Elizabeth Swann & The Ark DNA database.

TOMB RAIDERS - Safiya Sabuka and Musa Bomani dive among sifting sands to discover precious artifacts and golden treasures.

SCOTLAND YARD - The famous London DNA database is stolen, the biggest data heist to date. The Yard initiates a cover up.

OPERATION ALEXANDRIA - Neo-Nazi occultists recover Cleopatra's sarcophagus from underwater tomb near Palace.

SALVAGE RIGHTS - Entering Cleopatra's mausoleum, locating sarcophagus and raising with air bags to the surface, Safiya Sabuka tomb raider.

COASTGUARD PATROL - Safiya and Musa surface off Alexandria to a waiting customs vessel, they pretend to be sports divers fooling the officials.

UNESCO - Catholic Church fear grave desecration heritage theft, asks agencies for help. Interpol issue Red Notice.

KIDNAP - Charley is taken prisoner but John rescues her, in the process becoming injected with a serum.

SARCOPHAGUS OPENING - The wooden inner casket is opened revealing Cleopatra's mummy, golden crown and death mask, perfectly preserved.

AWAKENING - In the afterlife, the DNA extracted from Cleopatra's mummy triggers a divine stirring with Anubis and Isis comforting the Nile Queen.

REPLICANT - The Society reproduce Cleopatra using Francisco's RepliVator™, uploading synapse sequence and implanted memories.

BRAIN CONDITIONING - Klaus and Franco upload digitally recreated memories in historical order to trigger correct learned synapse firing sequence

REBORN - The former Queen of Egypt speaks for the first time to her creators, proving that her brain is working, the implants succeeded.

FULL STEAM AHEAD - Storm speeds to Thonis, then uses the Swann's AI sensors and the Ark database to find tomb has been plundered.

PROPOSAL - Baron von Richhofen's gambit, a union of Royal ancient and Aryan blood, for strength and intellect, a powerful heir as her successor

RITUAL SACRIFICE - The Baron prepares a drugged Cleopatra for ceremonial impregnation.

MANAUS TO ALEXANDRIA - A hydrogen powered race across the Atlantic Ocean in nine days, John Storm guided by Anubis and Isis.

SANCTUM INTERRUPTUS - John finds secret Nazi hideout near Alexandria, disturbs ritual - rescues Cleopatra, arresting conspirators.

THE CHOSEN ONE - The reincarnated Cleopatra falls for her rescuer. John comes under her spell, despite her being a replicant.

MOVIES, WHAT ARE THEY - Reincarnated Nile Queen asks John and Dan to explain films, they show her 20th C. Fox 1963 Elizabeth Taylor biopic.

MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE - John suggest a tour of the Wadj Ur, Thalassa Nostrum, to relax Cleopatra, Hal plans the ultimate experience.

JOHN'S BLOODLINE - Dan and Hal trace trace John's noble lineage back to the iconic figures of Ancient Egypt & Roman General Mark Antony

DÉJÀ VU - Dan and Hal reveal John's family tree as being related to Roman General Mark Antony via Julia and Queen Drusilla of Mauretania.

MEDICAL EXAMINATION - Jack Mason talks John and Cleopatra into agreeing to a check up at Port Royal, Jamaica, working for NSA and CIA

GEORGE WARNS OF TORTURE - Franks radios Swann to tell John & Dan that New World Knights are being tortured at Guantánamo Bay, you're next.

JESUS CHRIST - Cleopatra asks about this man. John, Dan & Hal explain he is an ancient religious preacher from Galilee, son of Yahweh, Hebrew god.

BIOCORE BRAIN IMPLANT - Dan and Cleopatra drill John's skull, occipital bone implanting biological chip to interface with CyberCore Genetica.

DARPA, NSA & CIA - National security and military intelligence chiefs Iras Charmian and Dr Stefan Raengst, plot to remove all human obstacles.

MILITARY INTERVENTION - The military detain Cleopatra to appease stakeholders, despite media & medical protests. Storm distraught.

BATTLE ARMOUR - Thanks to some unexplained divine intervention, Dan Hawk talks John Storm into wearing a bullet proof suit.

GUANTÁNAMO BAY - History repeats itself, US military kidnap Cleopatra, John forced to rescue puts Elizabeth Swann at risk.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - Commander John Storm, in Navy SEAL mode, attacks the Cuban torture camp at Guantánamo Bay, in stealth mode, black op.

MISSILE LOCK - USA military try to hack into Hal, anticipating a strike, as the DOD launch Tomahawks, John hacks into NORAD, and redirects them.

PRESIDENT LINCOLN TRUMAN - Hails the Swann to find out why John is shooting missiles at Guantánamo Bay, Storm sets the record straight. FINALE

THE BATTLE OF ACTIUM - CLEOPATRA RETREATS TO ALEXANDRIA - THE ADVENTURES OF JOHN STORM: CLEOPATRA & THE MUMMY REBORN V 2.O SCREENPLAY SCENES COPYRIGHT CLEANER OCEAN FOUNDATION NOVEMBER 2024

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The rights of Jameson Hunter and Cleaner Ocean Foundation to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988. This website and the associated Cleopatra artwork is Copyright © January 2025 Cleaner Ocean Foundation and Jameson Hunter. This is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the authors' imaginations, and any resemblance to any person, living or departed, is entirely coincidental.